FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12975, 30 November 1907, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

THE PROFESSIONAL TEAM. THE MATCH AGAINOT WAKEFIELD TRINITY. United Preee Association—By Electrio TelogTaph—Copyright. SYDNEY, November 29. The LomLon "Daily Chronicle" to hand toy the ma.il, comimen.tiii|E on fho match between the Now Zoalandere and WakeficM Trinity, says:—The Now Zoalandors caught a Tartar et Wakefield when they met Wikefield Trinity, full of fight and determined to win. The home teem led at the interval, but tho colonials managed to draw level afterwards. In tJhie matcli the finer points of football were remarkable for tiheir absence. Gleeeon end Lavory, two now men, were introduced into the New Zealand ranks. Otherwise, the team was strongly representative. Wakofidd (had their best teem. Some time after tho start, the game wee confined to faigh kicking and rushes by Wakefield, wJio more tttian once wore within an aco of scoring. Msny penalties were given on both, sides, but all the place kicks failed. After half-an-bour's play, the colonials were guilty of obstruction, end a free kick having been given against them, Metoalfo sent the ball over the bar. Tho New Zea landers, by comlbdned work, tried hard to get a footing in tlio Jteme quarter, but tiheir passing was, repeatedly faulty. Just before the interval, Wakefield were in en aggressive mood, and a smart transfer gavo their epeedy wing mam an opening, which resulted in a grand try at tho corner. MetoaUfo failed wdtlh tflie pLnce kick. At half-time Wakefield Jed by 5 to nothing. In the second half, after ten minutes' play a free kick, for an infringement in tho scrum, gave Messongor a chance to ,kick a goal. Play was of tho bustling order, tihe finer points of th© gamo being noticeable for their absence At length, from some smart pissing, following a eomrnblo, llowe scored a try for New Zealand, Messenger failing to convert it. Tho scorte were now eguaJ, and there were fifteen minutee to go. Tho play for the rest of tiio game wee very oven.

Hi© "Daily Telegraph" declares that tlie New Zealanders did not do themselves justice. Th© garni© was of a very moderate standard, especially in the opening stages. Tho Home forwards wero superior, and wihon ti© visitors obtained en opening, their passing was vory wdld.

Tl lo "Daily News" soys th© "All Golds" .owed iflieir ill success entirely to bad tactics. Though th© team was not co strong as -against yet it was good enough to have won had it played tih© passing and running game. When tiliey did exploit hand-to-hand passing, they showed themselves the cleverer lot, but the occasions were few.'and for th© most part they indulged ~in kicking, wTiiioh in Northern Union football is a fatuous policy. . Tin- visitors dropped into th© worst etylo tihe Yorkshire club* play, and though th© cleverer footballers, they did not deserv© to win.